GitHub Actions Monitor

// Free and open source Chrome extension

Your CI status, live in the toolbar

Know the moment a build breaks, without keeping a GitHub tab open. The toolbar icon turns green, yellow or red for all the repositories you care about. Click it for every workflow, the step that failed and why, live run timers and one-click links to the runs.

Add to Chrome Read the source

Live on the Chrome Web Store

The extension's popup under a red toolbar icon: compact repository cards with status filters, and the repository open in the tab offered to add (sample data)

// At a glance

One icon for all your repositories

Green

Every workflow's latest run passed.

Yellow

Something is queued or running. Checks speed up to every 5 seconds until it finishes.

Red

Something failed. It flashes red and green when some repositories passed and others failed. A number on the icon counts the failing repositories.

// Features

Made for real projects

See why it failed

Each repository is a compact card whose state line names the failed job and step. Expand it for the lines from the log that say why, every workflow with its last ten runs, and the commit, pull request and author behind the run.

Keep it in view

Dock it in Chrome's side panel while you browse, pop it out into its own window, or keep it on top of every other window in a corner of your screen.

Step lights

A running workflow lights a small light for each step as it finishes, the current one pulsing, so you can see how far along it is at a glance.

Every workflow counts

The latest run of each workflow decides the status, so a failing CI is never hidden by a deploy that finished after it. Switch off noisy workflows; cancelled and skipped runs never raise false alarms.

Live run timers

Running workflows count up as they go; finished ones show how long they took. Click any workflow to open its run.

Rate-limit safe

When nothing changed, GitHub answers "not modified", which does not count against your API limit. The settings page shows live usage.

Branches, workflows and pausing

Watch all branches or a specific one, pin a single workflow to its own card, and pause the ones you are not working on. On a repository's GitHub page, add it in one click.

The commit it is for

Each result shows its commit, so a green run of an older commit is never mistaken for the one you just pushed. A failure links straight to the failed job's log.

Alerts and reviews

Optional desktop notifications when a workflow starts, succeeds or fails, naming the failed step. Runs waiting for a deployment review are marked, with a link to review them.

Read-only by default

A read-only token is all it needs. Re-run and cancel buttons appear only if you switch them on.

// A closer look

From "something broke" to "here is why"

An expanded card quoting the failing lines from the log, with the run's history, author and pull request (sample data)
The error from the log, right in the card.
Deployments rolling out with step lights per job, and a production deploy waiting for review (sample data)
Step lights, and deploys waiting for review.
A desktop notification naming the failed step, with re-run and workflow switches in the card (sample data)
Alerts that name the failed step.
The extension docked in Chrome's side panel beside a web page (sample data)
Docked in the side panel while you work.

// Open source, no server

Nothing in between you and GitHub

An extension that holds a GitHub token should be one you can inspect. GitHub Actions Monitor is open source under the GPL, and it has no backend at all: your browser talks to GitHub's API directly, with your own token.

Read the code on GitHub · Privacy policy

  • No server, no analytics, nothing sent to the developer
  • Talks only to api.github.com
  • Works with a fine-grained token limited to Actions: Read-only
  • Re-run and cancel are off unless you turn them on
  • Your token stays on this device unless you choose to sync it
  • Reads the current tab's address only when you open the popup, never page content

// Setup

About two minutes

The settings page walks you through it and checks your token as soon as you save it.

  1. Open the settings page: right-click the toolbar icon and choose Options, or use the settings button in the popup.
  2. Choose features (optional). The number on the icon, notifications, and whether to show re-run and cancel buttons. They come first because re-run and cancel decide the token's permission, so you only ever make one token. Leave them off to stay read-only.
  3. Create the token. Click Create a read-only token on GitHub (or Create a token with re-run and cancel). GitHub's form opens with the name, a 90-day expiry and Actions: Read-only (or Read and write) already set. Under Repository access choose All repositories (or the ones to monitor), then Generate token.
  4. Paste it and click Save Token. The extension checks it right away: account, token type, how many repositories it can see, remaining API requests.
  5. Add repositories. Click the toolbar icon, then + Add: type an owner (your username or an organization), pick the repository and a branch (or "All branches"), optionally one workflow, and click Add Repo. On a repository's GitHub page, just click Add it.

For an organization's repositories, choose the organization as the token's Resource owner. Some organizations must approve fine-grained tokens before they work. A classic token also works, but its repo scope grants far more access than needed.

// Install

Get GitHub Actions Monitor

Install it from the Chrome Web Store. Prefer to run the code yourself? Clone the repository and load the folder in chrome://extensions with Developer mode on: there is no build step.

Add to Chrome Install from source

// FAQ

Questions

Is it really free?

Yes, every feature, with no account with us. It uses your own GitHub token and GitHub's API. If it saves you time, you can support the project.

Which token does it need?

A fine-grained personal access token with Actions: Read-only, for all your repositories or only the ones you monitor. The settings page opens GitHub's form with that already set. Re-run and cancel, if you turn them on, need Actions: Read and write instead. Classic tokens work too, but the token check warns that their repo scope grants more than needed.

Will it use up my API rate limit?

Rarely. Every check is a conditional request, and when nothing changed GitHub answers "304 Not Modified", which does not count against the limit. Checks run at your interval (30 seconds to 5 minutes) and every 5 seconds only while something runs. Pause repositories you are not working on to save more.

Does it work with organization and private repositories?

Yes. Type the organization as the owner and pick from all of its repositories the token can see, private ones included. Create the token with the organization as its Resource owner; some organizations must approve fine-grained tokens first.

Can it change anything in my repositories?

Not unless you let it. With the recommended read-only token it can only read. Re-run and cancel buttons appear only after you turn them on in Settings and give the token write access to Actions.

Something isn't working

The settings page's Test Token button shows what your token can see and whether it works, which answers most questions. Still stuck? Open an issue or email James@Levac.net with your Chrome version and what the settings page shows.